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Clackmannanshire goes wild at Castle Campbell

8 July 2013

Are you new to wildlife watching? Do you think Springwatch is a non-battery wrist ’clock’? Or are you a very experienced amateur Attenborough? Whatever your knowledge or expertise, join us in a celebration of all things wild in the Year of Natural Scotland.

Come along to Castle Campbell and Dollar Glen to see the best Bioblitz extravaganza on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th July.

Take part in a series of wildlife surveys to find out what flies, crawls, wiggles, swims, slithers, hops and climbs through Dollar Glen and Castle Campbell; all led by experts in their field.

If this isn’t enough, you can enjoy river dipping sessions organised by Rangers from Historic Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland, as well as arts and crafts activities and interactive stalls for all the family to enjoy.

The main event is free and takes place from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Visitors can drop by Mill Green, behind Dollar Museum and at the foot of Dollar Glen, throughout the day to get further information about the activities on offer and see the stalls brimming with wildlife.

There will also be a bat walk taking place on 13th July starting from Castle Campbell. You’ll be able to listen for these amazing animals using hi-tech equipment and watch their aerobatics as they hunt in the gloaming. The bat walk begins at 9 pm and will incur a small charge – to book phone Castle Campbell on (01259) 742 408

Matt McCabe, Interpretation Ranger for Historic Scotland, said “This is a great way to get out and about to celebrate the Year of Natural Scotland and find out about flora and fauna in the stunning setting of Castle Campbell and Dollar Glen.”

Callum McNeill-Ritchie, Ranger Naturalist with the National Trust for Scotland, added “Dollar Glen and Castle Campbell is definitely the wee place with a very big heart. The Glen is set between two steep gorges and is the finest example of an oak-ash woodland in Clackmannanshire and this part of the Forth Valley. The many waterfalls help provide both spectacle and species; with a series of burns that roar out of the Highlands and meander through to the lowlands.

“At each turn of the path you see more of the abundance of mosses and lichens, flowers, insects and the many birds and mammals. We even have a ‘disco’ fly that flashes its silver wings in the darker hollows to get a girlfriend! It is a superb setting to enjoy activities such as these and it is great to be working with Historic Scotland’s staff in making this the wildlife event of the Year of Natural Scotland. Come and join us in two days of biological and personal discovery.”

Notes for editors:

Historic Scotland Information:

Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government charged with safeguarding the nation’s historic environment. The agency is fully accountable to Scottish Ministers and through them to the Scottish Parliament.

The National Trust for Scotland is the country's most diverse conservation organisation, responsible for 310,000 members, 200,000 acres of countryside, 46 Munros, 394 miles of mountain footpaths, more than 100,000 precious artefacts, 130 key historic buildings, 35 major gardens, 7 national nature reserves, 45 sites of special scientific interest and the UK's only dual World Heritage Site.

Dollar Glen and Castle Campbell were given to The National Trust for Scotland by Mr Kerr of Harviestoun in 1950. Today the Castle is under the guardianship of Historic Scotland.

Dollar Glen is a wooded glen, and with its upper open hillside, was designated a Special Site of Scientific Interest in 1989 in recognition of its importance locally and nationally for wildlife and geology. The Glen is distinctive in having deep gorges formed by two burns, the Burn of Sorrow and the Burn of Care which merge into the Dollar Burn. These deep gorges are a haven for more than 100 species of moss and over 190 species of lichen, including some rarities. The gorges also provide the natural defence for Castle Campbell.

Castle Campbell is impressively positioned above and between the steep gorges of the Burns of Sorrow and Care. It was the chief lowland stronghold for the Earls of Argyll from the 15th Century – The Campbells.

You can find out more about the Glen, the Castle and Dollar at Dollar Museum. The Museum is run by volunteers and is open between Easter and Christmas, Saturday 11am-1pm, 2.00-4.30pm and Sunday 2.00-4.30pm. www.dollarmuseum.org.uk

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